InSightec wins FDA approval for bone tumor ultrasound therapy

InSightec Image Guided Treatment Ltd. has obtained US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) premarketing approval for the company's ExAblate targeted focused ultrasound treatment for the removal of bone tumors. The approval is initially for patients who cannot or do not want to undergo radiation therapy. The company is continuing testing of its therapy as an alternative for radiation therapy.

InSightec controlling shareholder Mordechay Zisser said, "Bone tumors are the most common kind of cancer, and the treatment market is huge, at $10 billion. This is InSightec's first oncology indication, and we may register the therapy for other kinds of cancer.

InSightec says that 30% of bone cancer patients cannot undergo radiation therapy.

Mordechay said, "GE Healthcare will market the product. It has prepared its 40,000 distributors for the effort." He cautioned, however, "The start always takes time."

Zisser's Elbit Imaging Ltd. (Nasdaq: EMITF; TASE: EMIT), controls InSightec through Elbit Medical Technologies Ltd. (TASE:EMTC), which owns 64% of the company.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 21, 2012